An agreement has been reached to settle the case pending between Nichia Corp of Tokushima, Japan and Hirose Radio & Electronics (a Japanese corporation manufacturing and selling electronic appliances) in the Tokyo District Court.

In the case, Nichia claimed that its Japanese patents 5,177,317 and 5,610,056 (both related to white LEDs using YAG phosphors) were infringed by some of the LED lights imported and sold in Japan by Hirose, and sought a preliminary injunction against the importation and sale of infringing products.

While Hirose had been unaware of infringement at the time Nichia filed the case, it acknowledged during the proceedings that some of the LED lights that it purchased from Taiwan-based Yadent and imported into Japan used white LEDs made by Taiwan's Everlight Electronics, and that the Yadent LED light products using Everlight white LEDs fall under the claims of Nichia's YAG patents.

In light of these acknowledgement by Hirose, and for the purpose of amicable, quick resolution of the disputes, Nichia and Hirose agreed to resolve the case by a settlement before the court, on the condition that Hirose should stop importation and sale of the infringing products and pay settlement fees to Nichia.

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